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Mechanisms of Soil Erosion under Forest – The Role of Biological Soil Crusts

Subject Area Soil Sciences
Term from 2018 to 2022
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 406370693
 
Final Report Year 2023

Final Report Abstract

Project "MesiCrust" addressed the influence of biological soil crusts and included mosses on soil erosion and soil water fluxes after vegetation disturbances by timber harvesting in a temperate European forest ecosystem. Moss-dominated biological soil crusts were highly abundant in these mesic forest areas and specifically developed on disturbed soil surfaces after human intervention. They played a major role for the protection of forest soils against erosion and affected soil carbon and aggregate stability. Additionally, they showed a fundamental importance for forest soil water fluxes and recharge through their individual traits which is particularly interesting for central European forests in the light of advancing climate change. Here, their influence on silviculture is probably still underestimated. Great potential to mitigate soil loss and degradation from human impact was found in the application of artificial inoculation and restoration of mosses on disturbed soils, for which further research is strongly suggested.

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